Change the language your Mac uses

Although your Mac is set to display the language of the country or region in which it was purchased, you can choose a different language to use. For example, if you bought your Mac in the United States but you work primarily in French, you can set your Mac to use French.

Add a language: Click the Add button , select one or more languages in the list, then click Add.

The list is divided by a separator line. Languages above the line are system languages that are fully supported by macOS and are shown in menus, messages, websites, and more. Languages below the line aren’t fully supported by macOS, but may be supported by apps that you use, and shown in their menus and messages, and on some websites.

If you can’t use the input source that’s selected in the Input menu to type a selected language, a list of available sources is shown. If you don’t add an input source now, you can add it later in the Input Sources pane of Keyboard preferences.

Change the primary language: Drag a different preferred language to the top of the Preferred languages list.

If macOS or an app supports the primary language, menus and messages are shown in that language. If it doesn’t, it uses the second language in the list, and so on. The language may also be used on websites that support the language.